Rev. Barbara Brown Zikmund, trailblazing religion scholar, dies at 87

(RNS) — The Rev. Barbara Brown Zikmund, a religion scholar, historian and interfaith advocate, died Aug. 17 at age 87 after a long illness. A United Church of Christ minister, Zikmund devoted much of her academic career to launching programs promoting religious diversity and championing clergywomen’s rights.

She began her career in academia in the 1960s and went on to reach a series of firsts for women in theological institutions: She was the first woman to teach at Chicago Theological Seminary, to become dean of the Pacific School of Religion, to preside over the North American Association of Theological Schools and to serve as president of Hartford Theological Seminary.

“BBZ was a trailblazer in many ways,” said Hartford Theological Seminary former President Mike Rion in a statement. “ ‘ Being the first woman, ’ she quipped, ‘ meant you had to be twice as good as the men, but the good news is that it’s not that hard! ’ ”

Born in 1939 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zikmund pursued a career in Christian ministry after graduating from Beloit College in Wisconsin. She enrolled at Duke Divinity School, where she earned a Bachelor of Divinity and a Ph.D. in American church history. Her…